Bye-Bye, Dressing Room: 8 Home Try-On Services That Will Change Your Life

Who doesn't love the feeling of taking home a brand-new outfit complete with the season's perfect accessories? But the actual process of shopping can often feel less than glamorous, and retailers know it … but still want you to shop with them. While at-home try-on services used to be a rarity, reserved for really big spenders, the trend is growing. These days the average Jane, or Joe, can try on everything from blue jeans to bras without leaving the house. The system in a nutshell: You can sample several items for free, send the unwanted pieces back (again, sans a charge), and only pay for what you choose to keep. It’s time to bid adieu to overcrowded parking lots, pushy salespeople, unflattering lighting, and unnecessary impulse-buys. Here are some at-home try-on services worth investing your time (and money) in.

Warby Parker

Want to test out a bunch of frames before committing? This purveyor of designer glasses allows you to try up to five eyeglasses at a time for five days. When the trial period is up, return the lenses free of charge in a box made to look like a store shelf and order the pair (or pairs) you so desire. Not satisfied? Pick another five and go through the process once more. It only gets better: For each pair you buy, another is distributed to someone in need.

Bluer Denim

There’s no joy in shimmying your way into denim in a dressing room. Pick three styles from Bluer Denim's website and then sit, squat, and stretch in the privacy of your own home for one week to see how each style works with different shoes and tops. Hold on to what works, and ship back the unwanted pairs. You’ll only be charged for the ones you keep.

True & Co.

True & Co. is a way to bust free (literally) from the awkward encounters you may face while buying lingerie. For a $45 refundable deposit, fit experts will send you five bras to try according to your answers from an online questionnaire. Send back what you don’t like after the week-long trial period and pay for what you keep. It’s the epitome of a reciprocal support system.

Ocappi

Since buying a multi-thousand-dollar diamond is kind of a big deal, this online engagement ring service lets you take your time choosing. Ocappi sends home six rings of your choice – ranging from $5,000 to $45,000 – and gives you a week to decide on the one..the ring, not the spouse.

Pickwick & Weller

Pickwick & Weller, Ashton Kutcher’s fashion venture, touts the fact it sells “the perfect T-shirt” for both men and women. How does it end up so perfect? You take a style quiz, connect with a T-shirt expert, and then get a “Home Fit Kit,” with three tops the stylist selected, shipped to your door. You’ll be charged afterward according to what you keep. And if three shirts don’t do it justice, you can purchase more independently online. “It’s a great way to gauge what sizes work best for you and get a better sense of what colors look best,” Pickwick & Weller’s public relations manager Mari Mazzuco tells Yahoo Shine.


Trunk Club

Calling all men: Virtual styling services extend to you too. Trunk Club pairs guys with personal stylists who tend to them from start to finish. "The positive response we have received to our service absolutely indicates that men were looking for a solution to traditional shopping," Jason Smith, Trunk Club's vice president of products and services, tells Yahoo Shine. Stylists will hand-select up to eight pieces from various lines – from Theory to Ben Sherman – based on the customer’s preferred styles and price points. The company then gives you ten days to try everything on. The shipping boxes mimic actual garment trunks. We’d do it just for that!

Brideside

Trying to dodge a controlling bridezilla? Brideside has just the strategy For a $10 service fee, bridesmaids can fill a “Bridesmaid Box” with three dresses and skip the boring boutique fittings. “The industry hasn’t evolved with the way that women shop and hasn’t integrated into their modern lives,” Brideside co-founder Nicole Staple tells Yahoo Shine. “We try to maintain the bridal boutique feel by bringing it online."

StylingOn

You don’t have to be a celebrity to have a personal stylist. StylingOn helps the ultra-busy women shop more efficiently. Just because most of us aren't celebs, doesn't mean we have time to shop around for the perfect looks. This service has a team of stylists on staff that work with designers like Michael Kors, Valentino, Rebecca Minkoff and Jbrand. Together they arrange a personal “Style Box” for clients, which typically contains six pieces or one complete outfit. You will be charged for the total amount of your package and will be credited if the pieces don’t work. Stylists for the masses! Now if only you had a red carpet to hit...